Paravaledellentine: A Paradelle

For Glen

Come to me with your warning sounds of the tender seas.

Move me the way the seas’ warm sea will spend me.

Move me the way the seas’ warm sea will; spend me.

Move your sea-warm come to me; will with me; spend

tender sounds, warning me the way of the seas, the seas.

Tongues sharp as two wind-whipped trees will question.

(Skin or nerve waiting and heart will answer.

Skin or nerve waiting and heart will answer).

Question will answer two tongues and, or will:

heart sharp as nerve trees; waiting, skin-whipped wind.

Brim your simple hand over where the skin is.

Wish again, whenever hair and breath come closer.

Closer, again, whenever; brim where your skin is;

hair, wish and breath over the simple hand, come.

Spend come warning me, whenever simple sounds will, will;

move your question. Answer your heart-sharp tender

sea-warm will with me. Way of the seas, the seas!

Where skin-whipped nerve trees wind over waiting tongues,

brim closer to me. Again the skin, as wish,

and two of the breath, hand and hair, or come, is.

“Paravaledellentine” is reprinted from Calendars (Tupelo Press, 2003).

Annie Finch